Thomas milled



Patented June l3, I899. T. MILLEN.

SIGN

' (Application filed Feb, 3, 1899.)

(Mo Model.)

4 Q U g 5 TI 8 M S A E I lNVENTOR WITNESSES %7 ATTORNEY UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MILLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,791, dated June 13,1899.

Application filed February 3, l 899. Serial No. 704,337. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MILLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented an Improvement in Signs, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to street-car signs and their application. It hasfor its object to provide a means by which two or more signs may becarried on one sheet of glass, with a movable shutter so arranged as tocover and obstruct the sign not in use, leaving that portion exposed tothe light which is intended to announce the destination of the car,'aswill be hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,my invention is fully illustrated with similar letters of reference toindicate corresponding parts, as follows:

Figure 1 represents a face View exposing the upper portion of the glasssign,upon which the sign reads East & West 59th Street, with the shutter0 covering the lower portion of the sign. Fig. 2 represents a face viewalso, showing the shutter 0 covering the upper portion of the sign andexposing thelower portion, which reads 9th Avenue. Fig. 3 represents anend view showing the shutter c in its lower position and the frame a ofthe glass sign'plate e as it appears when resting within the bracket d.This figure also shows the button 71., which hooks over the end of theframe a on the bracket (1 and holds the sign in place. Fig. 4 representsa portion of the sign-plate 6, showing part of the upper and lowerinscription.

I would state that the mechanism marked on in the drawings and shown inFigs. 1 and 2 was patented to me on the 9th day of August, 1898, No.608,616, and does not therefore form any part of the present invention.

In constructing my present invention it is intended to make the depth ofthe sign from s to w, Fig. 3, the same as that between the roof and hoodof the car to which it is to be applied, either on the side of the caror in front, in order that the light shining from within may be utilizedto illuminate the sign and make it conspicuous, the length of the signof course depending entirely upon the inscription which it is tocontain.

The brackets d and c l are exactly alike, except that the bracket cl isprovided with an overhanging piece (1'', which carries the spindle ofthe revolving mechanism. This bracket is also provided with a verticalslot in its side, which acts as a guide for the clamp to. Therefore thedescription of the bracket d will an-' swer for the description of thebracket (1 so far as its sign-carryingconstruction is concerned. I

Referring to Fig. 3, the bracket dis provided with two vertical sides fand g, with a place between them sufficient for the introduction of theframe a, which carries the glass sign 6. On top of the two sidepiecesfand g there is a small plate, as 2', which extends crosswise andto which a roof of any desired size may be attached to protect the signwhen the latter is not placed under the roof of the car. On one side ofthe bracket 01, as shown at 70, a flat portion is provided, into whichthe shutter ois trunnioned, as at c. This flat portion is provided witha brace, as 0 which forms a part of the foot of the bracket and holdsthe upright portion in position. The key 6 is passed through thetrunnion c, and a button, as h, is placed on the trunnion,and a suitablewasher, as h, on top of the button, leaving the button free to be turnedback or forth, as the case may require. On the opposite side of thebracket, as shown at f, is a pin or rather a small hook projection, intowhich the button h rests when the sign is in lace. The object of thisbutton is to close t e opening in the bracket over the sign after it hasbeen inserted to hold the latter in place.

The trunnion on one end of the shutter, as shown at Z, Figs. 1 and 2, isprovided with a gear-wheel, which meshes with a suitable gear-wheelmounted on the upper end of the spindle Z of the reversing mechanism.Thus by turning the handle on the lower end of.

the spindle, which is usually under the roof of the car and within reachof the conductor, the shutter 0 can be thrown either up or down to coverthe lower sign or the upper one, as if the direction of the car shouldbe East & West 59th Street the shutter will be thrown down so as tocover the 9th-Avenue sign. If the direction of the car should be 9thAvenue, the shutter will be elevated so as to cover the EastctWest 59thStreet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

A railway street-car sign consisting of the slotted brackets 01 and dprovided with the projecting roof portion 2', suitable transparent signas 6 provided with two inscriptions and button as h for holding the signin place, in

combinationiwith the shutter 12, trunnioned l longitudinally between thesaid inscriptions to the brackets (i and d and suitable mechanism'asshown for elevating and lowering the said shutter to cover either of thesaid inscriptions, substantially as described.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing ini vention I have hereunto setmy hand this 26th day of January, 1899.

, THOMAS MILLEN.

- Witnesses:

- E. W. PERRY,

W. L. MURRAY.

